The Space Between Us- Epilogue
EPILOGUE: A Lonely Miracle
Back to Chapter 17
The boat had long since touched the shore, and Kara was starting to grow tired. It was a good sort of tired, but knowing that her goal was so close… she would be ready to rest well tonight. She sniffed the wind, and she was sure she smelled smoke.
She came over the hill, and saw two cabins nestled into the hillside. There were people outside. She peered at them anxiously, but realized that she didn't know any of them. One of them spotted her and waved, although as she got closer his welcoming expression leeched off his face, replaced by shock.
"Am I far from the city?" she asked as she approached.
"It's only about two miles from here," the man told her, and Kara was pretty sure she knew him. "Good gods, what happened to you? Did you get lost?"
"No," Kara said. "Not at all."
"Well, come on in," he said. "You'll want to clean up before you head into town."
For a second Kara considered arguing, but it was hard to say no, and she followed him into the cabin.
It was a log cabin, but it was far from rudimentary. There was some sort of power generation; the lights testified to that. The man led her in.
"My name is Hamish McCall," he told her.
Kara stared. "Skulls?" she said incredulously. He did a double take.
"Starbuck! Of course! Gods, I should have known." His face split into a smile. "Now it makes sense."
"What are you doing living all the way out here?" Kara asked. She looked around at the inside of his cabin. The furniture was rough, but there were signs of civilization: a blanket draped over fabric cushions on what approximated a couch, pots and a skillet hanging from hooks near a cooking unit, and best of all, running water. Kara hadn't realized how long it had really been until he opened a door to a bathroom and she saw the bathtub that he set to filling.
"Just living." He was rummaging in a cabinet and came up with a lump of soap. "After we got everything settled, I just didn't want to be around people so much. Too many memories, too many…" he made a face and shook his head, and Kara realized that it wasn't just memories of loss, but other things that he didn't want to talk about. "I'm happier here, on my farm, out of the city but still nearby. It's peaceful."
Kara nodded.
"Well, I'll leave you to it," Skulls said. "Let me know if you need anything."
She had a clean set of clothing in her pack, and as she looked at the worn, frayed fabric, she wondered again just how much progress they had made in the city. It was an exciting thought, and she couldn't wait to find out. But for right now, just the warm water in the metal tub and the novelty of being indoors was enough.
She emerged to find Skulls setting a table with bread, cheese, and sliced meat, as well as some fruit. Her stomach churned, but she eyed it warily. "I'm not shorting you, am I?" she asked nervously.
Skulls laughed. "Not at all," he said. "Atlantis has done well."
They spent an hour together, talking about the settlement. Kara didn't ask about any specific people, and Skulls must have noticed it, as he didn't volunteer information. He was a very restful person to talk to these days, Kara decided, and she was glad she had happened across him first, as she dipped her toe back into civilization. But she was still eager to say goodbye and continue on her way.
"Just go down that road there," he told her, pointing down the well worn path. "It will take you right into the town." He hesitated. "Are you looking for anyone in particular?"
"The Admiral," Kara admitted.
"Of course." Skulls blinked as he thought. "Well, Hoshi's most likely in the schoolhouse right now. But I assume you're looking for Adama… not really sure where he'd be."
"Thank you," Kara said. She hesitated, and decided not to ask anything more about either of them. "Thank you," she repeated, and then headed down the road.
As she walked, she passed roads branching off, and she saw other houses. They were nothing like anything she remembered from Caprica. Most were small structures of wood or stone, although she spotted fuel cell powered generators outside, and as she neared the city, signs of plumbing and more advanced transportation. The roads weren't paved, but were packed dirt.
The city was nothing like what she had imagined, and nothing like New Caprica. It looked more like something from the history books, with carved stone, pillars, and steps. A lot of white, some buildings with more grace in their structure, and a mosaic motif.
"Excuse me," she asked a woman. "Can you tell me where the schoolhouse is?" She knew no better place to start looking for people she knew.
The woman pointed out a building. It was low and flat, and it looked like it contained several rooms. There was a playground in the back, and a set of pyramid courts. Kara settled on a swing, waiting.
Eventually a bell rang, and teenagers began to pour out of the building. As she watched, two men followed them, one of them talking to a student as they bent over a piece of paper, the other waving to two girls as they ran off giggling. He turned towards Kara and did a double take, glanced at his students, and then came over. He had curly hair streaked with gray and wore a dark green jacket. As he approached, Kara noticed he had a slight limp, and as he got even closer, she noticed he wore a silver ring on his left hand.
"You're probably the last person I expected to see first," she told him as he came into earshot. "Hello, Gaeta."
"Hello, Starbuck."
"Teaching math?"
"More science and history. Louis is handling math and reading. What brings you here?"
"I promised I'd visit. How long have I been gone?"
Felix raised his eyebrows as he thought for a second. "I think about ten years."
"You're shitting me." But he wasn't. The evidence was there in the lines by his eyes and the ease of his gait. She shook her head.
"If you hang around until the younger class dismisses, you'll find Adama," Gaeta said. "He always comes to get his granddaughter."
"Granddaughter?" Kara laughed.
"Nora," Gaeta reminded her. He turned as the other teacher approached, and Kara was in no way surprised to recognize Louis Hoshi. Age had agreed with him, and she also had figured that he'd be wearing a ring that matched Gaeta's. "Evan should start school… next year, I think?" he asked Louis.
"Next year," Louis confirmed. "And Abby in three."
"Who'd Lee marry?" Kara asked incredulously.
"Don't think you'd know her," Hoshi said. "Her name is Ariana DeWitt. She was on the Outlander."
Kara shook her head, but before she could speak another bell rang, and another class dismissed. She didn't recognize any of the teachers, but a boy came running over to Gaeta and Hoshi. "Yours?" she asked, as the boy hugged Hoshi first. He had dark hair and light skin, brown eyes and a shy smile.
"No," Hoshi smiled, ruffling the boy's hair. "This is Gabriel Gaeta-Conoy, our godson. Gabriel, this is Kara. She's…" he struggled, and then shook his head. "Your parents will explain later." Kara nodded absently, but she was anxiously scanning the faces of the parents waiting to pick the students up.
And there he was.
The Old Man had no idea that she was there, and Kara wondered if he'd even recognize her. But then, both Gaeta and Hoshi had recognized her easily enough. She gave them a nod and walked over, waiting as a redhaired girl hugged Adama. She noticed a little boy standing beside him, and a little girl in a sort of stroller.
"What do you hear, sir?" she heard herself saying.
Adama looked up, and his mouth fell open. Kara smirked at him and then found herself in a tight, warm hug that hadn't changed despite all the years that had passed.
"You did come back," Adama said when he pulled away. "Saul said you would. How've you been, Kara?"
"Good," she said. She glanced significantly around the town. "Looks like the place is doing well. How about you?"
"I'm surviving," he answered, but the light in his eye and the gentle hand on Evan's shoulder said that Adama was doing a lot more than just surviving.
The bell rang again, and Adama pointed. "You're going to want to turn around," he said, watching her.
The youngest class was dismissing, and one of the teachers was helping a little girl with her jacket. Kara knew who he was before he even looked up.
"Sam," she said.
And then she began to laugh.
***
It had been a party, and it exceeded Kara's expectations. So many faces, so many people that she'd remembered had dropped in as the rumor of her return had spread.
She'd stayed with her parents. Her father looked older, but he looked so much more at peace, even than he had in the memories she'd recovered of Earth. And her mother was gray now, but there was a new serenity about her that Kara was quite sure she'd never seen. The two of them owned a bar, which was absolutely no shock to anyone, least of all her. And through the night, it seemed everyone from Galactica dropped in.
Lee and Ariana came, although Ariana left early to put their offspring to bed. She was a small, plump woman with a beautiful smile, nothing like Kara and far more like Dee. Lee seemed happier than he ever had in the entire time that Kara had known him, settled and grounded and working as a representative to the government. Tom Zarek had retired, he told her, at least in name, and had married Racetrack, which caused Kara to nearly fall off her stool from laughing so hard. They had two children, Lee said, and it really was quite a riot to see Zarek fuss over them. Racetrack dropped in for a while, and it wasn't until late that night that Kara remembered the mutiny and the hostages.
Brendan Costanza came in as well, bringing Nicky, who had stars in his eyes as he shook Kara's hand, and didn't stop staring at her the entire time he was there. Kara wondered what HotDog had told his son about her, but decided it was safer not to ask.
"He's dating," HotDog confided with a groan. "And you know who he's seeing? Hera Agathon-Brooks.
"Agathon-Brooks?" Kara asked, sipping her beer. (If nothing else, it was worth coming to Atlantis just for beer again.)
"Yeah. Jim Brooks adopted her, and he and Todd- the Four that helped us get her off the Colony- they've been raising her together. Not together-together," HotDog clarified, and Kara realized some things would never change, "but they just decided it was best as one family. They live out by the stream over that way," he gestured, "near Gaeta and Hoshi, and the Zareks, and Reverend Conoy and Doctor Gaeta."
Kara blinked. "Reverend Conoy and Doctor Gaeta?"
Adama was listening, and he nodded. "Jesse Conoy," he reminded Kara. She remembered the Two that had joined the Fleet. "He's the priest. Doctor Gaeta is the Eight that we rescued from the Colony. She worked with Cottle. They have three children now."
"How is Cottle?" Kara asked, and Adama's face darkened.
"He passed away last year."
"Oh." That one hit Kara rather hard, because Cottle was the sort of person you never thought of dying. Like Tigh, like Adama himself. Like… she snorted.
"What ever happened to Dr. Baltar?" she asked.
"There you go," HotDog said, gesturing to where Baltar was standing near the bar, talking animatedly to several women. "Some things never change."
"He lives out further. Has a farm," Adama said. "He married Caprica Six, and they've got four kids."
"Oh, gods save us all," Kara said.
"Tell me about it," Adama laughed. And before she could answer, someone began playing music. He smiled. "Excuse me," he said. "I see a beautiful girl that needs a dance partner." He went over to where Lee was shepherding his children, and then took to the floor with Nora.
A lifetime ago, Kara had danced on New Caprica. But right now she was content to sit and watch the couples spin across the floor. They wove back and forth together, forming patterns in their dance.
"It's beautiful to watch, isn't it?" someone said, and she turned to see Sam sitting beside her.
"It is," she agreed. "When we landed… I really didn't know what would become of us. It's so wonderful to see so much life going on."
Sam smiled, leaning his forearms against the table. He still had the same easy confidence that she'd always loved in him, and he looked at peace. "So where have you been, Kara?" he asked. "I'm dying to hear all about it."
"No place like this, that's for sure," Kara said. "I've got a ton of sketches and maps for… well, who would I give them to? The Admiral?"
Sam shrugged. "He'd be interested to see them," he said. "I think everyone would. You'll have a lot to tell us, I'm sure."
"Mmm." It was warm in here, warm and crowded and loud. Nothing like the majestic dark silences and the openness all around her, things that Kara had grown very used to in the past ten years.
Sam was still watching her. "You're not staying long, are you, Kara?" Kara smiled. Sam had always known her better than anyone else. "In that case," he said, extending an arm, "how about a dance?"
"I'd love to."
They joined the dancers on the floor- Lee and his wife, Saul and Ellen spinning enthusiastically. Adama dancing with his grandchildren, first spinning Abby and then Evan, and then dancing properly with Nora. Zarek and Racetrack, laughing at Gaeta and Hoshi, who were still completely graceless dancers but so obviously happy. Hera and Nick, dancing awkwardly, alternating between rapid chatter and supposedly meaningful silences. Gaius Baltar and Caprica Six, far more adept than most of the couples on the floor. Jim Brooks dancing with Sarah Gaeta, and Todd Brooks and Jesse Conoy chatting on the sidelines with Gabriel and what was obviously his younger sister, while a little girl sat on Jesse's lap. People she didn't know or vaguely remembered, all laughing, all living.
Kara and Sam melded into the pattern, into the music and the laughter and the happiness.